A lessen in expectation and passion from Joan Collins (or rather, her audience)

Attending an event at the glorious Theatre Royal Haymarket today, a Master Class with Joan Collins, it was a reminder about passion. And about people. 


Funnily enough it wasn't from Ms Collins (who is absolutely an inspiration in terms of determination, pragmatism and traffic-stopping legs at any age!). Rather, it was after, speaking to people involved with the Master Class, the theatre and acting in general. They have their own language, what to me would be famous actors are master practitioners and dramatic practice becomes the craft. 


People have enormous, life-dedicating passion to the craft. But if I passed them on the street, or saw them in-store I would type-cast them as an X-type consumer. 


It was a vivid, candid and razor witted reminder that people are not defined by their 'type', they are defined by their passions. 


I wonder what you find if you ask some of your customers about their passions? 




*The Master Class is about to do some even more exciting projects - I recommend you learn more about this very positive organisation supporting London Youth and sign up for updates at http://www.masterclass.org.uk/. 

hunting conversations

So, you know you are meant to be participating in, starting, aware of and contributing to conversations about your brand and area of expertise. Conversation is apparently the new black. Or was that aubergine?

Where to start?

My knowledge is very basic compared to people who live and breathe this, so I’ll start with the basics! As a practicising marketeer – I have found there are some useful blog search tools (after google and twitter searches) to start to get a feel for where and how people are talking about your brand.

http://www.blogpulse.com/

http://blogsearch.google.com

http://www.blogcatalog.com

http://technorati.com/

I would think through the following questions:

1. What are the key items people are talking about over a longer (3-6 month) period? – informing potential key customer drivers, conversation starters and potential pain-points that you can address.

2. Where are they talking? This forms a basis of where you should be listening.

3. Who is talking? Are they are small, specialist and passionate group or is a broader conversation in the community? This can shape how you could start a dialogue.

4. How are they talking? What is the language used? Is it the same as the language you use? Is there a disconnect?

There are also some seriously powerful ongoing social media monitoring tools that you can use as aggregators to efficiently manage this process, for example Radian6 and Collective Intellect.

(update - Radian6 also advised me of the most useful and free SocialMention - thanks!)

(19 April, 2009)

the source

My favourite source of consumer insight is people who work on a shop-floor.

After all, they are the people who get closest to the consumer, talk to them everyday, understand their needs – and importantly what they are willing to spend on. And they speak to lots of them! What’s not to love?

They are the closest you will get to an SME on consumers (dare I say it – not the marketing team?? Unless they too regularly get down and dirty with consumers).

So, how are you making sure the insights from the shop floor are shaping your understanding of your customers. And your strategy? Do you know what they are?

Do the people who make the big decisions get access to this continuous stream of information? Or can you make the people who are your most intimate contact with customers the decision makers?

It’s amazing what you learn by just asking people on the floor and watching people shop a category.

I recently realised I needed to add scarves to my collection of travel accessories. So, I hit the streets (and shops) and started talking to people who sell scarves. Within a period of 3 hours I had a succinct idea of what Australian customers want in a scarf. It cost me nothing, and was the potential equivalent of surveying hundreds of people.

Efficient, pointed and also – exciting! So amazing when you respect someone’s input the passion and knowledge they will share. Not to mention the buzz that comes with exploring through retail-land, seeing new trends, retail strategies and so much around brand experience (or the lack of it!).

Can’t wait to use the gorgeous new scarves.

(12 Jan, 2009)